11.09.12
MS treatment available for Scottish patients
Thousands of multiple sclerosis sufferers in Scotland are to be prescribed the world’s first pill treatment. After approval from the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), fingolimod will be given to Scottish patients.
Scotland, which has the highest rate of MS in the world, is the last part of the UK to offer the new drug on the NHS. The decision has been made after the SMC’s initial refusal, stating that it was not cost-effective.
Fingolimod, which provides an oral treatment for patients who previously received weekly injections, has been found to be twice as effective as interferon, the most commonly used drug to treat MS. Tests have also found the treatment to cut the risk of an attack by over 50% in two years.
A consultant neurologist at Edinburgh’s Western Hospital, Belinda Weller, welcomed the approval of fingolimod. She said: “Scotland has the highest incidence of MS in the world, so the availability of an effective oral treatment for people whose injections are no longer working is fantastic news. Not only is fingolimod very effective, but also more convenient, which is very important considering the geography of Scotland.”
The SMC also approved a drug which is set to help rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Scotland. Over 1,000 sufferers will receive RoActemra, a drug that was found to be four times more effective than current treatments. RA is a progressive disease leading to irreversible joint damage.
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